Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Danbird devotees got a slightly belated Christmas present with Danehill’s Group Two winning 2YO producing an international double on Sunday (27 December).Tony Noonan’s highly rated, Easy, got the ball rolling with a fine win over 1200m at Mornington, while Maidantus gave Kiwis another taste of Danbird with a comfortable win over ‘the six’ at Arawa Park.After winning the Pago Pago Stakes-G2 as a 2YO and running second to Exceed and Excel in the Up And Coming-G3 at three, Danbird campaigned in New Zealand where he was twice successful at stakes level.Maidantus is Danbird’s first runner in New Zealand and was having her second start for the Graham Richardson stable, eventually running away with the Taste of Rotorua by two panels.Bred by Robert Wren in Victoria, Maidantus is out of the Encosta de Lago mare Maicostus which, as it turns out, didn’t cost her owners that much, buying her for $30,000 and winning over $85,000.Interestingly, both Danbird’s dam (Fitting) and Maicostus’ damsire (Maizcay) are full relations, being by Marscay out of the Hotfoot mare Corn.As for Easy … well, her day had to come soon. Tony Noonan has had a big opinion of the Danbird 3YO since she first arrived at his stables and after a so-so performance on debut at Warrnambool last July, she then resumed with a fourth at Pakenham in early December before grabbing the biscuits at her home track.Bred by Cuillin Hills Thoroughbreds and David Mills, Easy is out of the Woodman mare Forestress and hails from the immediate family of Snippets.Spied at the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions by top notch agent (and even better human being) Louis Mihalyka, the filly was knocked down to Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $60,000.